A Beginning
by Ophelia4
Summary: A new girl at the X-Mansion named Crow.
1. A Beginning

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any of the X-Men characters, Marvel does... lucky bas-- also, Marvel I am really truly sorry if I make any of your characters into wusses, say Cyclops. But, I DO own Crow. She is MY character, MY baby. So there. ENJOY!  
  
  
I sat on top of the mansion staring at the crisp moon. What a lovely night, I thought. It was warm, and the murmuring breeze tickled my skin and blew little wisps of my hair into my eyes.  
"Hello, Crow," a voice said behind me. I turned around to look at Logan standing before me.  
"Hello, Logan" I replied warmly. "What are you doin here?"  
"Nothin, just thought you might like some company."  
"Thanks," I replied and patted a spot next to me.   
He sat and lit a cigar. "So, you like it here so far?"  
"Oh yeah, it's really great!" I said enthusiastically. "I really feel like this is home. I haven't felt this way about anyplace, save my trailer back in Washington State. But oh well."  
"Good," Logan said with a nod and puffed on his cigar. We both looked at the moon.  
"What time is it?" I whispered without taking my eyes from the moon.  
"Round midnight" He whispered back.   
"I guess we should go back in. Got to get up in the morning."  
"Yeah." He stood up and gave me hand to pull me up. I spread my black-feathered wings and silently made my way to the edge of the roof.  
"Night, Logan," I said with a smile.  
"Night Crow," he replied and grinned. I jumped off and flapped my wings to bring me safely onto my balcony and went into my room.  
  
  
I threw myself onto the bed, landing hard on my wings. "YEOWCH!" I screeched. Trust me, when you have extra appendages protruding from your back, you gotta be careful when you law down. I quickly sat up and rolled onto my stomach, pulling the sheets up over my neck. I sighed loudly and stared at my closet that faced my bed. My eyes became heavy, and I found myself drifting into a calm half-consciousness. 


	2. Lookin For Trouble

Disclaimer: I do NOT own the X-Men or any part of the X-Men. But, I DO own Crow. If there are any similarities between her and other characters either by Marvel or someone else, I'm really sorry, I totally didn't know.   
  
PS- I'm really sorry that there are no tabs in my story and that it's hard to distinguish paragraphs, I'm going to try and fix it I swear.  
  
  
  
"Crow! Crow get up!" a voice barked from behind my bedroom door. There were three loud bangs and the door swung open.  
"Scott, what the..." I hollered.  
"You're 15 minutes late for training! You can't spend the whole day in bed, now GET UP!" he barked back at me with his hands on his hips.  
"Scott, it's only..." I began and looked at my clock. "Oh, its 7:15."  
"I want you downstairs in the Danger Room in less than 3 minutes, understand?"  
"Yeah yeah." I grumbled and rolled out of my bed to shoo Scott away but he vanished and slammed the door behind him. "Dork," I said and threw on old baggy jeans and a faded orange tee, trying to line the holes up in the back of my shirt with my wings. After more than 3 minutes, I brushed my hair and caught a glimpse of my face.  
I looked completely different from when I had first come here. I looked at lot healthier, having been eating every day and taking showers. But what could I have done before hand? I was living on the streets and mugging for a living, I was lucky if I got enough money to eat at McDonald's. The rest of the money, well lets just say I had some expensive habits. But my eyes, my all-black crow eyes, they stayed the same. They still revealed the years of torment I had gone through, and a hint of distrust and cynicalness remained.  
I shook my head and flew downstairs to the kitchen where I found Logan reading the paper and drinking coffee. "Hello," I said with a slight smile and poured a glass of orange juice.  
"Mornin," he replied and looked up. He forgot to shave, or maybe he just did it to make himself look cool. Either way I didn't mind, he looked good.  
"Aren't you gonna be late for training?" I asked and wagged a finger at him.  
"Yeah."  
"Hey me too!" I laughed and sat next to him at the table. "Is it just me, or can Scott be a prick sometimes?"  
"Sometimes?" Logan asked and raised an eyebrow.  
I laughed. "Well he's a nice guy and all, but oy vey! 'Be downstairs in less than 3 minutes' he says to me! For cryin out loud it takes me 5 minutes to put a shirt on!"  
Logan chuckled a bit and drained his coffee. "Oh boy, here he comes," Logan muttered, and put his feet on the table. As he was doing so, Scott strode in with an official air.  
"Crow, I thought I told you less than 3 minutes!" he yelled.  
"Sorry man, I needed breakfast." I said simply and took a drink of my OJ.   
"And what's your excuse, Logan?" Scott asked and glared at Logan and then at his muddy shoes on the table.  
"Didn't feel like goin."   
I stifled a laugh as Scott turned red. He started to say something, but turned around and stormed out of the kitchen. "Well, I guess we should go, eh? Before Scott has a hernia."  
"Naw," said Logan.  
"Why? Well, maybe you don't gotta go but I do, I only been here a while."  
"Naw."  
I looked at him. "What? You think we should ditch?"  
"Yup," said Logan getting up and putting his coffee cup in the sink. "Whadda ya say? We vamoose, or we can go and listen to Scott be a dick for the rest of the day."  
"Let's go," I said without hesitation.  
"Atta girl!" Logan laughed. I drained my orange juice and followed Logan out the sliding doors in the kitchen and across the lawn to the garage. We went inside, and he hopped on his motorcycle.  
"Hey, where we goin?" I asked and caught the helmet he tossed to me.  
"Lookin for trouble," he replied and started the engine. I hopped on and wrapped my arms around his stomach.  
"I hope you know, I never been on a motorcycle, so go eas-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" I squealed as Logan took off out of the garage.  



	3. D'oh, this isn't good

We headed north along the road leading from the mansion. It was the beginning of a nice day, as far as I could tell. The dew still glistened on the grass, birds chirped noisily, and the sun was beginning to poke out from behind the trees. I stretched my wings out straight behind me to decrease the drag I was causing.  
"I didn't want to say anything about your wings," Logan joked, referring to our sudden increase in speed.  
"What? Was I ruining the ride?" I joked back. We rode for miles along small highways trying to avoid traffic and peoples second glances at me. Finally we stopped at a gas station.  
"So, do we know where we're going yet?" I asked Logan and jumped off the motorcycle to stretch my legs.  
"Not a clue. Any ideas?"  
"I'm kinda hungry, let's go eat."  
He nodded and finished filling the tank. Soon, we were off and were headed for more trouble than we bargained for.  
  
  
We pulled into the nearly empty parking lot of Jim's Diner. We parked the bike and Logan stopped and sniffed the air.  
"What? What is it?" I asked, looking over his shoulder.  
"Trouble," he replied as if trouble was an everyday thing.  
"Cool," I said indifferently. "Let's go, I'm hungry." I said and jumped off. "You comin?" I asked and looked back at Logan. He sat as if he was just told the meaning of life.  
"Yeah," he said slowly and got off. He followed me into the dreary diner and we waited to be seated. Logan looked around and sniffed the air again.  
What is it? I thought. What the hell is his problem?!  
The waitress came, looked at me funny, and quickly brought us to our seats. "Uh, ju-just a moment," she stammered and hurried off into the kitchen.  
"Aah, c'est la vie," I joked and gently leaned back. "So what is it? What do you smell?"  
"I dunno yet, but I don't like it."  
"Oh relax, there there's all of 4 people here including us. Besides I can kick their butts."  
Logan chuckled and shook his head.  
"So chill, OK? You're making me nervous."  
Logan sighed and nodded. I analyzed the menu and he drummed his fingers on the table. "What's taken that lady so flamin long?" he asked impatiently.  
Just then, the waitress returned with a nasty lookin cook and a nasty lookin shotgun. "Look," the cook said. "We don't want any trouble All w ask izat winged freak leave."  
I rolled my eyes and looked at Logan who was fuming. "Fine!" I groaned, and got up quickly from me seat. Too quickly perhaps, because the cook shot me in the right wing. I gasped and fell to the floor on my stomach. Logan sprang up too, popped his claws and sliced the shotgun in half. The cook and waitress whimpered and dashed back into the kitchen.  
"Crow!" Logan cried, and knelt down beside my head.  
"Ow," I groaned in response.  
"Can you get up?"  
I nodded and grimaced as Logan helped me up by my shoulders. Blood poured out of my wing and feathers were scattered everywhere. Logan grabbed a coat that hung on a coat rack by the door ad bandaged it as best he could. Soon, we were back on the road, speeding to the mansion.  



	4. I keep churnin these chapters out, don't...

I woke up in the infirmary at the mansion. "What's goin on?" I grumbled. I was lying on my back with my injured wing sticking straight out next to me. There was a huge gauze bandage right in the middle. A huge wave of pain shot through me and things went fuzzy for a moment.  
"Well, I'm glad to see you're awake," Jean said in a tone like hey, glad you're OK, but hoo boy you are in for a world of trouble.  
"Oh, thanks," I said in a hoarse voice and tried to get up.  
"Oh no you don't, sit right there," Jean scolded and pushed her finger against my forehead to lay me back down. "You know, you really scared Logan. He thinks this whole thing is his fault."  
"Well it is!" I cried.  
Jean stared at me.  
"I was joking," I said with a smile.  
Jean shook her head. "Now lay still. I'm going to give you a shot that should help speed up the healing."  
I held my breath and shut my eyes as Jean drove the syringe into my arm. "Gerp," I said.  
  
  
I strode through the kitchen and onto the patio to sit. It was sunny out and beginning to get warmer. The birds sang and the pleasant aroma of freshly cut grass flooded my nose. "AACHOO!" I sneezed.  
"Well, we glad to see dat you're felin better, right chère?" Gambit asked and elbowed me in the side.   
"Yup," Rogue replied and elbowed him right back.  
"Oof! I tink dat you be fo'getting bout your strength, non?"  
"No, Ah didn't fo'get," Rogue replied and elbowed him again.  
"OOF!"  
I laughed and walked over to them where they were sitting in the grass. "So, when can I expect ol' Rod up the Hoo-hah to lecture me?"  
"Ah don't think he'll lecture all that much," Rogue drawled. "Figurin' you got shot an all."  
"Probably," I said. "Have any of you seen Logan?"  
They shook their heads. "Last I saw him he was in his room," Gambit said. "But I don't tink he still dere. You know Logan, dat man all o'er de place."  
I laughed and waved goodbye as I got up to look for him.   



	5. Read this chapter. That's my summary. So...

DISCLAIMER: Hey, I don't own the X-Men. OK? God! I also don't own any sort of rights to The Doors, or to "Season of the Witch." I just like the song. But I would like to thank The Doors for re-making that song cuz it's spank.   
  
  
  
"Logan? Logan are you in your room?" I asked and peered cautiously into his room. "Looooooogan?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Hmmph," I grumbled and walked to my room and shut the door. I dragged my stereo into the bathroom, cranked "Season of the Witch", and took a shower. I tried very hard not to get my bandage wet, but that was impossible. I took it off and stared at the now-vanished hole in my wing.  
  
"Wow," I gasped. There was perfectly healed skin over the hole, and little black feathers were beginning to grow back. Of course, it was still sore, but it was nothing a little aspirin couldn't take care of.  
  
"Thank you Jean!" I called aloud.  
  
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Everyone sat around a large rectangle eating dinner. That is, everyone except Logan.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Kurt asked politely.  
  
"Oh, viel besser, danke," I replied with a smile.  
  
"Sie sind willkommen. Ich betete für Sie."   
  
"Huh?" I asked, fork in midair.  
  
"He said: 'You're welcome. I was praying for you.'" Hank politely translated.  
  
"Ah," I nodded. "Sorry, I don't speak German very well. No, wait; I don't speak German, except for "much better, thank you."  
  
Kurt laughed and went back to eating.  
  
"So, Crow. Did you learn anything today?" Scott asked. I knew he meant well and wasn't trying to be a dick, but I wanted to punch him.  
  
"Yes," I growled.  
  
Scott nodded. "Good. Where is Logan by the way, I wanted to talk to him."  
  
I rolled my eyes and looked around. "Where is Logan?" I echoed. "I thought maybe he would come for dinner. I mean, its barbeque chicken!"  
  
"And I made it," Jean frowned. "He likes my cooking."  
  
"Yeah, dat man got a stomach for anyting, even fo dis-OOF!" Gambit said as Rogue elbowed him in the gut.  
  
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I sat on the roof of the mansion and stared at the glossy full moon. It was a perfect night: my wing was healing very fast, the stars were out, and the breeze was cool and fragrant. I slid my knees up closer and rested my chin on them.  
  
"Aah, c'est la vie," I sighed.  
  
"Oui, c'est," Logan's voice replied.   
  
I turned my head quickly and smiled. "Tu parles français?"  
  
"No," Logan replied and sat down beside me. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Great!" I said excitedly. "Where were you today? I wanted to talk to you after I woke up but you were all gone."  
  
"I went for a walk."  
  
"Oh." I nodded. "Listen, Jean was telling me about how you feel like this whole accident was your fault. And I want you to understand that I don't blame you for anything that happened today. Believe me, this has GOT to be, by farthest, the most eventful day in my life."  
  
Logan nodded and a small smile crossed his serious face. "You don't mind you got shot?"  
  
"Oh well yeah, but at least I was with someone I trusted."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I trust you."  
  
"I understand that, but what would have happened if it happened if you were with someone you didn't trust?"  
  
"Then, I don't think I'd wanna be friends with them anymore."  
  
"We friends, still?"  
  
"Yup," I smiled.   
  
Logan leaned over and gave me a hug, and I was more than happy to return it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Crow is movin on up... to the east side,...

I woke up at 6:30 ready and got ready to train; there was no way I was going to be late today! I took a fast shower, threw on jogging pants and a tee shirt, swept my hair into a ponytail and was about to go when a knock came at the door.  
  
"Who is it?" I called.  
  
"Logan."  
  
"Oh hang on I was just leaving," I said and opened the door. "Want to get some breakfast before training?"  
  
"What is this? Yesterday you were sayin 'screw training,' and now yer L'il Miss Let's-Not-Be-Late! Tell me ya ain't goin soft on me!" he laughed and leaned against my doorframe.  
  
"Logan, its poor grammar to say 'ain't'. Say 'ai not'. Now let's go because I'm hungry!"  
  
Logan laughed and I followed him down the stairs.  
  
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"Let's go you have 30 seconds!" Scott barked once again. "Don't quit on me now, Crow!"  
  
"I'm not, I'm just slowing down!" I called back. I was doing a triceps exercise with 20 lb weights, I had to slow down!  
  
"And let's not sass off to the trainer, OK?"  
  
"Sass off?" I muttered. "Who the hell says sass off?"  
  
"I heard that," Logan grinned as he jogged past me.  
  
"OK, Gambit and Crow switch places and look lively!"  
  
"Gambit been here some odd years, and he still don' un'stand why Scott don' do de exercises eider," he groaned and picked up the weights. "An you tink dat maybe you coul' handle more dan 20 lbs?" he said wryly and picked up a weight with his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"Shut up!" I yelled and side kicked him in the butt.  
  
"OOF! You sho dat you don' have super strengt, eider?"  
  
I laughed and began to punch the punching bag until Scott called time.  
  
"Awriiiight everyone, stretch and cool down, I want to talk to all of you. As all of you know- hopefully," Scott chuckled at his own joke. "Crow has been here for 3 months now, and the professor and I see that she can handle all responsibilities of being a full team member of the X-Men."  
  
Everyone applauded with a few whistles came from Gambit and Bobby, and Rogue slapped me hard on the back. "Welcome to the team, Crow. Ah knew it wouldn't take long for you to make it."  
  
"Ow, uh I mean, thanks," I gasped and cringed a bit. "So does this mean I get to go on missions and stuff like that?"  
  
Scott nodded and continued. "It also means that you get a uniform and a communicator, and such and such. Welcome to the team, Crow," he said and we shook hands. "Would you like to say anything?"  
  
"Um... sure," I said and took Scott's place in front of the people. "How's it goin everyone? Good, that's cool, that's cool. I'd just like to say that I'm really proud to be a member of the X-Men. And really glad too, since you guys have become my friends and accepted me. It means a lot, and I definitely won't be letting you down anytime soon."  
  
"Boooooo! GET OFF THE STAGE!" Bobby joked.  
  
"Shut up Bobby! I'll kick you so hard you'll be pissin blood!" I joked back. "Now look, you made me forget what I was gonna say. God! Way to go! I dunno, it probably wasn't important. Thanks guys," I said and Scott got back into his place.  
  
"Uh... lets hear it for Crow."  
  
Everyone applauded and filed out of the training room for lunch.  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Crow is movin on up... to the east side,...

I woke up at 6:30 ready and got ready to train; there was no way I was going to be late today! I took a fast shower, threw on jogging pants and a tee shirt, swept my hair into a ponytail and was about to go when a knock came at the door.  
  
"Who is it?" I called.  
  
"Logan."  
  
"Oh hang on I was just leaving," I said and opened the door. "Want to get some breakfast before training?"  
  
"What is this? Yesterday you were sayin 'screw training,' and now yer L'il Miss Let's-Not-Be-Late! Tell me ya ain't goin soft on me!" he laughed and leaned against my doorframe.  
  
"Logan, its poor grammar to say 'ain't'. Say 'ai not'. Now let's go because I'm hungry!"  
  
Logan laughed and I followed him down the stairs.  
  
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()  
  
"Let's go you have 30 seconds!" Scott barked once again. "Don't quit on me now, Crow!"  
  
"I'm not, I'm just slowing down!" I called back. I was doing a triceps exercise with 20 lb weights, I had to slow down!  
  
"And let's not sass off to the trainer, OK?"  
  
"Sass off?" I muttered. "Who the hell says sass off?"  
  
"I heard that," Logan grinned as he jogged past me.  
  
"OK, Gambit and Crow switch places and look lively!"  
  
"Gambit been here some odd years, and he still don' un'stand why Scott don' do de exercises eider," he groaned and picked up the weights. "An you tink dat maybe you coul' handle more dan 20 lbs?" he said wryly and picked up a weight with his thumb and forefinger.  
  
"Shut up!" I yelled and side kicked him in the butt.  
  
"OOF! You sho dat you don' have super strengt, eider?"  
  
I laughed and began to punch the punching bag until Scott called time.  
  
"Awriiiight everyone, stretch and cool down, I want to talk to all of you. As all of you know- hopefully," Scott chuckled at his own joke. "Crow has been here for 3 months now, and the professor and I see that she can handle all responsibilities of being a full team member of the X-Men."  
  
Everyone applauded with a few whistles came from Gambit and Bobby, and Rogue slapped me hard on the back. "Welcome to the team, Crow. Ah knew it wouldn't take long for you to make it."  
  
"Ow, uh I mean, thanks," I gasped and cringed a bit. "So does this mean I get to go on missions and stuff like that?"  
  
Scott nodded and continued. "It also means that you get a uniform and a communicator, and such and such. Welcome to the team, Crow," he said and we shook hands. "Would you like to say anything?"  
  
"Um... sure," I said and took Scott's place in front of the people. "How's it goin everyone? Good, that's cool, that's cool. I'd just like to say that I'm really proud to be a member of the X-Men. And really glad too, since you guys have become my friends and accepted me. It means a lot, and I definitely won't be letting you down anytime soon."  
  
"Boooooo! GET OFF THE STAGE!" Bobby joked.  
  
"Shut up Bobby! I'll kick you so hard you'll be pissin blood!" I joked back. "Now look, you made me forget what I was gonna say. God! Way to go! I dunno, it probably wasn't important. Thanks guys," I said and Scott got back into his place.  
  
"Uh... lets hear it for Crow."  
  
Everyone applauded and filed out of the training room for lunch.  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
